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Thread: Fixing my CNI laser

  1. #1
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    Default Fixing my CNI laser

    For any one who has never seen the inside of a CNI green laser hears your chance. The reason for opening it was that I could hear something lose inside. It turned out to be two screws had not been screwed into the plastic enclosure for the crystals near the front properly back at the factory. I hope this is the reason for the laser doing nealy 100mW less than my other CNI.
    Unfortunatly when I opened the laser for the first time I went in from the bottom and managed to break the black wire of the pump diod. (see second photo.) Will try and reatatch the wire when I get my soldering iron back tonight. (Please will you all cross your finger for me. Can't cross mine while holding the iron.) Photos below and befor the end of tonight this baby should be working again with a bit more power.

    Attachment 3696
    Attachment 3697
    Attachment 3698

    Carl
    Last edited by Carl B; 09-02-2008 at 14:05.

  2. #2
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    oh ouch! that shouldnt be a hard soldering point though! dont forget flux


    i wanna see under the plastic though!
    -Josh

  3. #3
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    Be Carefull Carl

    those pumpdiodes are extremely static sensitive

    that anode should be bonded whilst soldering


    good luck ..buddy

    all the best ... Karl

  4. #4
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    Well It's GOOD NEWS. I managed to reatatch the wire.

    Not a job for the faint hearted. The copper strip still attached to the diode came off and stuck to the iron as soon as i touched it. So I did away with the copper strip and went direct to the pad on top of the diode. But the stubbern bitch was not happy about takeing solder even with flux in the mix. After spending about 10 mins trying to do this it did finaly take but I held very little hope out for it to work thinking the diode was by now cooked and that solder joint may yet break again.

    I replaced the cover then fired it up and put a meter set to diode test to the blanking input and by some fluke a faint green dot appeared. The next thing was then to apply more voltage to the blanking so I connected a couple of AA batterys giving 3v to the blanking and I had a beam. I left it running like this for about an hour with no ill effects to the beam.

    I did find that opening to head caused the front optics to shift a bit and the beam was hitting the sides of the appature but this was easaly sorted.

    If it go's again then I think it would be going back to CNI for repair for which I would have to pay for as the tamper seal is broken.

    It's a bit late now but will post some pic's of the repair job and of it running at full power tomorrow. For the moment I can go to bed with a smile on my face.

    Carl

  5. #5
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    awesome! glad to see it is sorted out now! hopefully that joint will hold!
    -Josh

  6. #6
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    Next time you have it open ..... place it the bottom of a bucket or pail. Then fill it with 100% argon...the bucket that is. Then replace the laser lid securing it good before bringing it out of the bucket. That will regas the chamber and help keep dust to a minimum. Works great as long as the wind isn't screaming. The argon is heavier than atmosphere....trust me it works.
    You are the only one that can make your dreams come true....and the only one that can stop them...A.M. Dietrich

  7. #7
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    I had no idea they would be Argon filled! That makes sense though. It also eliminates any oxidation of the metal parts. Cool!

    Where do you get a bucket of Argon!

    James.

  8. #8
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    Cool

    Quote Originally Posted by James Lehman View Post
    Where do you get a bucket of Argon!
    James, you wouldn't *believe* some of the cool stuff that Mike has to play with... I've been trying to get him to adopt me for the last year or so...

    Adam

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by James Lehman View Post
    I had no idea they would be Argon filled! That makes sense though. It also eliminates any oxidation of the metal parts. Cool!

    Where do you get a bucket of Argon!

    James.
    Try a welding supplies shop. Should be able to sell you a small disposible canister of the stuff although you'll need to buy a small regulator as well.

    For those in the UK:

    http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/ra...ng-consumables

    Regulator:

    http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/ra...ng-consumables

  10. #10
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    Thanks guys for your input.

    As promised I have done a couple of photo's of the repair job and of it in action lined up next to my new 300mW laser wave unit that is to replace it. The CNI will be going into my old DMX unit when I get chance to put it all back together.

    Refilling the chamber with Argon sounds like a good idea to me and will do ASAP. Just a thought, but would curosion realy be a problem with an all alluminium chamber and fittings?
    Attachment 3736
    Attachment 3735

    Carl

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